Farouk Chothia
THE IFP last weekend adopted a new constitution that attempts to put into practice what it preaches: the devolution of power along federal lines.
It is similiar to a constitution the IFP adopted in 1990 — and never implemented. Power remained firmly in the hands of president Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Large sections of the document adopted at last weekend’s annual conference were copied verbatim from the 1990 constitution.
The burning question now is whether the IFP will this time put the new structures into place.
IFP sources, however, seem confident that with a new leadership emerging — in particular former PAC leader Ziba Jiyane — this new constitution will be implemented before next year’s local government elections.
The constitution devolves power from the party’s new national council and national executive committee to provincial, regional, constituency and branch structures – as a model for the federal constitution it advocates for South Africa.
The IFP’s central committee — which operated in terms of the IFP’s founding constitution as its existence was not provided for under the 1990 constitution — has now been replaced by the national executive committee which will be the top decision-making body.
IFP sources conceded this week that implementation of the 1990 constitution was “suspended” because of the “war situation” in the country over the past four years, forcing Buthelezi to take “virtually total control” of the party.
But some observers point to other reasons. Buthelezi and his handpicked leaders, including hardliner Walter Felgate, may have resisted the constitution’s implementation for fear of losing power.
The IFP may also have found it lacked a sufficiently large membership to ensure the national launching of each party structure envisaged by the constitution.
Sources say pressure for change has come from key figures in the Youth Brigade who were “frustrated” that rising within the hierarchy was dependent on “patronage” rather then performance and skills.
Ironically, however, the chairmen of both the Youth Brigade and the Women’s Brigade — and also a number of National Council members — will continue to be appointed directly by the IFP President.
And the Youth Brigade is still represented in the highest echelons by only an appointed national chairman and an elected national secretary.
The devolution of power to the provinces is also limited.In the event of a policy dispute, a provincial structure will be forced to accept the national position. However, the view of provinces will hold sway in financial, organisational and administrative disputes.Major changes in the new constitution include a decision to re-introduce the post of secretary-general, which was dropped from the 1990 constitution.
Now held by Jiyane, the post may be jinxed: the only two IFP leaders to have served as secretary-generals – Sibusiso Bhengu and Oscar Dhlomo – quit after major clashes with Buthelezi.To avoid potential power struggles between Jiyane and Buthelezi, the IFP has given him less powers than those enjoyed by Bhengu or Dhlomo.While the former secretaries- general deputised for Buthelezi in his absence, this task will now fall to national IFP chairman and Natal premier, Dr Frank Mdlalose.
Sources said PWV leader Musa Myeni also made a bid for the secretary- general’s post, but had not campaigned sufficiently to offer a serious challenge to Jiyane.Another new post created is that of deputy secretary general. Filled by MZ Khumalo – Buthelezi’s former private secretary who took the blame for the Inkathagate scandal – he is likely to be the IFP leader’s watchdog in the party.
Sources said that Khumalo will have “special” tasks. For instance, he may chair the commission charged with spearheading the IFP’s local election campaign while Jiyane concentrates on building party structures.
Despite the Inkathagate scandal which saw Buthelezi claiming that Khumalo accepted slush funds from the National Party government without his knowledge, Khumalo appears to have a continued to play a pivotal role in the IFP. Sources said that aside from the fact that he was head of administration, Khumalo was also in charge of IFP finances.
This was due to the fact that the IFP never had a treasurer- general – a post which has now been created, but not filled.
In his address to the conference, Buthelezi projected himself as the champion of all South Africans – a dramatic somersault from his pre- election stance when he presented himself as a Zulu tribal leader.In fact, the Zulu theme was almost non- existent in Buthelezi’s address to thousands of conference delegates. Instead, Buthelezi went as far as to claim that he had waged constitutional battles in the pre-election period on behalf of all South Africans.